Mod module v1 feature discussion

... and I'm trying to read and absorb this from a teenie netbook!


Thanks. (Data sheets are for the designers, not me!)



Agree totally now.


True. I had a different point of view on this and was going to give an example when it dawned on me => variable wattage => it don't matter. It's only relevant for variable voltage.


Tri-colour LED on board; check.


Configurable from PC? Yes please, but only if it's not a heap of bother. The 'Stoney meter' will go hand-in-hand with the module if you don't implement configuration, so I'm not bothered.

Turnigy have some real high power 1S 5A 100C hardpack batteries (upto 500A pulsed, so 2kW [no typo there BTW, and only for a few secs but]) for under $20 which would negate the need for switching between parallel and serial modes be.comse the battery lacks power. It's small too, 93x47x18.5mm (I can just imagine walking into a bank with your flashing module mounted on this baby )

I imagine only hooking up one battery won't be a problem?

Cheers,
GT

 

this was always designed from a dual batt standpoint, it uses 4 control mosfets instead of 1. It could be made to work with one battery but it was never my intention.

it has quite a bit of protection involved ensuring out of balance cells are not used either in series or parallel. this is an error indication actually. this is an area i still have quite a bit of work to do though, it monitors inter cell currents when in parallel and gets upset if high, actually it attempts to balance them with short duration pulses .. this is only required with removable batterys though, with inbuilt ones the fact they are paralleled 99.99999% of the time removes this issue. it then monitors series resistance of the cells when in series mode though by looking at top and centre voltage taps.

I could make another module specifically for a single battery mod if required, i can see a market for the simplicity of that. in fact .. coukd be a damn good choice for a version 1 to get operational issues sorted out.

 

It's ok, just a random thought but there are plenty of battery options (all cheap & powerful), so I'll go with what you decide. I'm easy (and the wife just piped up to say cheap too )

 

ok been up since midnight slaving over a couple of hot monitors ..
heres what we have so far ..
note that the power setting functionality is in, is fires the atty, but I am using a 50ohm resistor at the moment as the duty cycle control is not in there yet and it plain old nukes anything else screwed into it.

a double tap changes what the thing will display when fired, battery voltage, current, resistance or power.
a 5 tap (supposed to be, not got the timing down pat yet) will put it in power up/down mode.. in this mode a quick tap increases or decreases and a button press and hold will vape..
power increments are 0.1W to 5W, 0.5W to 10W and then 1W increments up to 25W max though its capable of quite a bit more, around 50W or so into 0.5ohm .. I think .. not tested that yet and its pretty much dependant on the power devices used, I am using a hacked battery protection PCB for the driver stage at the moment.

I thinks its a really simple and powerful system .. any thoughts ?

[video=youtube;MEzTQ0E9ods]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MEzTQ0E9ods[/video]

 

gawd, no comments at all ?
knobs.

 

after i did that video, I added a charging function, it can be charged through the atty connector with a voltage greater than the battery voltage, while its. charging it shows the charger voltage for 15 seconds then the battery voltage for 3 seconds.
its capable if shutting off the charge current as well, but at the moment I am using a dual battery lipo safety circuit, so I allow that to control the charging.

 

doh !
i thought it was saturday today, we have a public holiday here.

 

i think its awesome as a module. Has all the features u could want!

 

Onlycomment I can make is I am ready to throw money at you Stoney !

Pretty much does everything you would want in a module from what I can see?

 

i will work on getting the power regulation done next.
then I will add a new menu.. function .. which will abbreviate to 'fun'
need to think of a way to scroll thru functions, inducate whether they are on and off and change hether they are on and off, with one button .. hmm

 

Now that I home from work ...

I think that most users will use the power level between 5W and 8(ish)W, and that may be the region where you need the 0.1W steps. Unsure of whether 0.1W or 0.2W should be the step though?

It's going to be awesome, even if I wasn't awake at 4:30 ish on a Friday morning to comment

 

yeh, i will make the step sizes and positions adjustable somehow, if i can think of a good way to manage it.
the steps chosen where pretty arbritrary just to ensure it worked as expected, no way set in stone.

 

module status report..
PWM is rock solid, should never exceed the set power for more than 100th of a second, and then, only on attys with rapidly changing resistances.
improved the button pressing substantially, still work to do here. double press changes what it will display in use, quick 4 press goes into power edit mode.
i think the module can have a single switch or 3 switches if an up, down, vape scenario is preferred. should have enough IO to support it.
will probably be using 10A mosfets.
will probably have a hardware over current operating in a few millionths of a second to protect the hardware, TBD.
having issues with charging, think i partially blew a mosfet, not sure yet .. might be hack fail.
considering hardware support for error functions like high battery impedance .. if it aint happy it wont vape, but it will tell you why.
planning to have v1 out start of october.
will be cheaper than the meter as no connectors to hassle me.
pwm is adjustable in 0.5% steps so regulation is pretty good.
pwm currently 77Hz, may change it to 154 or more, not sure if there is any advantage, will look at mosfet specs later, they will prefer it quicker but i need to study a bunch of SOA curves to see how much advantage it is.

 

One question, will V1 be dual or single battery?
If it is going the be the single batt version I may decide to wait for V2 dual batt, depending on how much longer you think it will be to come out but I'll definitely be up for one of these.

 

oops, this is a dual battery module.
I have limited it in software to 25W currently.

 

Fixed it for ya Stoney LOL

 

it just passed its first test, i wound a coil in an ego C attty on 400 mesh, provari either E1's or E8's.

my module says 1.13Ω .. how many watts you want ?
works hassle free.


has me thinking a settable average current limit would be a good feature too, i dont want to confuse people though.

 

What format would you reckon is more desirable ?
sizes are approximate and no switch on them currently, the first one would fit in a tube better .. the second more of a box shape..
any ideas folks ?

display is a 3 digit 7 segment like the ecd meter currently.. unlike ecd meter the chippies will be on the back side instead of under the display..
i could do a board sandwich and the thing would be only a bit bigger than the display then.. might have a think about that a bit more

View attachment 3343

 

ok having a play with the piggy back idea looks like it may work.
there is a small board with the display and a micro on the bottom of it piggy backed on top of a larger board so that the atty and battery connections are available past the edges of the display.

still need to decide whether to put a switch on the board .. top or bottom board or just leave 2 pins, if i can find the right spot on the bottom board i think a switch there is suitable.
i am getting some micro tactile switches from the uk for these.


heres a pic of it so far..
View attachment 3344

 

The piggybacked board looks good. The switch you mentioned? I take it this would be the firing switch?? If that's the case, for me two pins would suffice to allow remote mounting of the firing switch. again pretty much the same for the atty connections??